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One of the presenters for the Golden Globe nominations, actor Blair Underwood, talks about this year's crop of films and television shows. (Published Tuesday, Dec 14, 2010)

Updated at 1:41 PM CDT on Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Blair Underwood was happy to rise before 5 a.m. to give some good news to some friends – and his “cousin” Carrie Underwood.

The star of NBC’s “The Event” joined fellow early risers Katie Holmes and Josh Duhamel at the Beverly Hilton hotel to announce the nominees for the 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards. Despite the godawful West Coast hour.

Underwood stayed sharp while announcing contenders for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s new crop of Globe contenders, including Best Original Song nominee “There’s a Place for Us” from “The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Trader” with “music and lyrics by my cousin, Carrie Underwood,” he joked, following the laugh with “It could happen!”

After toasting the newly minted nominees with Moet Chandon – the exclusive champagne of the Globes ceremony, we should note – Blair told PopcornBiz he was pleased for some folks he does actually know.

“I was happy for Johnny Depp – and Idris Elba: I was glad to see he was nominated,” said Underwood, noting Depp’s double nominations for “The Tourist” and “Alice In Wonderland” and Elba’s nod for the miniseries “Luther.”

But even the upbeat Underwood admitted slight disappointed that one of his own series didn’t get any Globe love. “I was surprised to not see anything from the 'In Treatment'. I thought we would see more from this season, but you never know what you're gonna get.”

The actor has fond memories of his very first Golden Globe ceremony. “I absolutely do,” he said. “I was nominated for 'LA Law' many, many moons ago and to me it was amazing, because I had done mostly television and being in that room with people that I respected, especially in the film and television industries, and the fact that it was so relaxed and laid back was great. That's why they call it, as you know, the best party in town!”

Underwood’s favorite Globe moment? “I just remember there was somebody who was lost in the bathroom and had toilet paper on her foot when she came to get her Golden Globes – Christine Lahti! I was there that night.”